Window shade

Abstract

A window shade that reduces the risk of an individual becoming entangled in cords used to operate the shade includes a headrail adapted for horizontal mounting above a window, a shading material attached to the headrail, and at least one cord for raising and lowering the shading material. The cord is attached to a location adjacent a lower end of the material, and extends upward through cord guides toward the headrail. The cord is encased within a collapsible shroud attached to each cord guide. The shroud is adapted to longitudinally extend as the shading material is lowered toward a deployed position, and then longitudinally collapse as the shading material is raised toward a stowed position. The cord is secured to and is wound about a spool fixed to a spring-loaded roller. The roller provides tension on the cord that counterbalances the weight of the shade so that the shading material may be positioned at any desired level. The shade does not require a graspable cord or cords for operation.

I claim: 
     
       1. A window shade, comprising:
 a headrail adapted for mounting adjacent a window; 
 a rotatably mounted roller; 
 a shading material having a first end attached to the headrail, a second end opposite the first end, and a face between the first and second ends; 
 a cord disposed adjacent the face and secured to the roller wherein rotation of the roller causes the cord to be wound about or unwound from the roller for moving the shading material between a stowed position in which the shading material is collected adjacent the headrail and a deployed position in which at least a portion of the shading material extends away from the headrail; 
 a shroud defining an internal passage through which the cord extends, wherein the shroud extends longitudinally as the shade portion is moved toward the deployed position and the shroud collapses longitudinally as the shade portion is moved toward the stowed position; and 
 first, second, and third spaced cord guides secured to and extending outwardly from the face, wherein the first cord guide is disposed at a first location, the second cord guide is disposed at a second location farther away from the headrail than the first location, and the third cord guide is disposed at a third location farther away from the headrail than the first and second locations, wherein the cord is secured to the shading material at a fourth location farther away from the headrail than the third location and wherein each cord guide surrounds the cord and at least a portion of the shroud and wherein the shroud is substantially unsecured to the shading material at least at one location between adjacent cord guides. 
 
     
     
       2. The window shade of  claim 1 , wherein the roller is spring-loaded. 
     
     
       3. The window shade of  claim 1 , wherein the cord guides are adapted to create and be disposed at folds in the shading material when the shading material is in the stowed position. 
     
     
       4. The window shade of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud is unsecured to the shading material at all locations between adjacent cord guides. 
     
     
       5. The window shade of  claim 1 , further including a spool carried by the roller and about which the cord is wound. 
     
     
       6. The window shade of  claim 5 , wherein the roller is disposed on a side of the shading material opposite the face and the cord passes through an opening in the shading material at a location adjacent the spool. 
     
     
       7. The window shade of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud is a loosely woven material. 
     
     
       8. The window shade of  claim 7 , wherein the loosely woven material is formed of a polymeric material. 
     
     
       9. The window shade of  claim 1 , wherein the cord comprises a first cord, the shroud comprises a first shroud and the first, second, and third spaced cord guides comprise a first set of cord guides, and further including a second cord spaced from the first cord, a second shroud having an internal passage through which the second cord extends, and a second set of cord guides secured to the face and spaced from the first set of cord guides wherein each cord guide of the second set of cord guides surrounds the second cord and at least a portion of the second shroud. 
     
     
       10. The window shade of  claim 9 , wherein the roller is disposed on a side of the shading material opposite the face and the first and second cords pass through first and second grommets, respectively, disposed at locations adjacent the roller. 
     
     
       11. The window shade of  claim 10 , further including first and second spools carried at spaced locations by the roller wherein the first and second cords are secured to the first and second spools, respectively. 
     
     
       12. A window shade, comprising:
 a headrail adapted for mounting adjacent a window; 
 a shading material having an upper end attached to the headrail and a lower end opposite the upper end; 
 means for raising and lowering the shading material relative to the headrail to define, respectively, a stowed position in which the shading material is collapsed and collected beneath the headrail in folds and a deployed position in which the shading material is at least partially extended away from the headrail, the raising and lowering means comprising a spring-loaded roller mounted adjacent the headrail by first and second side brackets and rotatable about an axis extending along a width of the window shade and at least first and second cords each which is attached at a first end thereof to the lower end of the shading material and extends upwardly toward the headrail and is attached at a second end thereof to the roller; 
 first and second sets of cord guides secured to the shading material, the cord guides of each of the first and second sets of cord guides being substantially vertically aligned so that a lowermost cord guide thereof is in proximity to the lower end of the shading material and an uppermost cord guide thereof is in proximity to the headrail, the first cord passing through the first set of cord guides and being attached to the shading material adjacent the lower end thereof, and the second cord passing through the second set of cord guides and being attached to the shading material adjacent the lower end thereof; and 
 first and second collapsible shrouds attached to each cord guide of the first and second sets of cord guides, respectively, each of the first and second collapsible shrouds defining an internal passage extending in a longitudinal direction thereof, the first and second cords being disposed within the internal passages of the first and second shrouds, respectively, and further extending through and being captured by the cord guides of the first and second sets of cord guides, respectively, 
 wherein the first and second collapsible shrouds extend longitudinally as the shading material is lowered toward the deployed position and the first and second collapsible shrouds collapse longitudinally as the shading material is raised toward the stowed position, and 
 wherein the cords wind about the roller when the shading material is raised and the cords unwind from the roller when the shading material is lowered and the spring-loaded roller includes a mechanism that selectably locks the roller to prevent rotation thereof and unlocks the roller for rotation by pulling down on the cords to permit positioning of the shading material at a desired location. 
 
     
     
       13. The window shade of  claim 12 , wherein the cord guides are secured to a rear face of the shading material and wherein the roller is disposed on a side of the shading material opposite the rear face and the first and second cords pass through first and second grommets, respectively, disposed at locations adjacent the roller. 
     
     
       14. The window shade of  claim 12 , further including first and second spools carried by the roller and about which the first and second cords, respectively, are wound. 
     
     
       15. The window shade of  claim 14 , wherein the cord guides are secured to a rear face of the shading material and the roller is disposed on a side of the shading material opposite the rear face and the first and second cords pass through first and second openings, respectively, in the shading material at locations adjacent the spool. 
     
     
       16. The window shade of  claim 12 , further including first and second spools carried at spaced locations by the roller wherein the first and second cords are secured to the first and second spools, respectively. 
     
     
       17. The window shade of  claim 16 , wherein the cord guides are adapted to create and be disposed at folds in the shading material when the shading material is in the stowed position. 
     
     
       18. The window shade of  claim 17 , wherein the shroud is a loosely woven material. 
     
     
       19. The window shade of  claim 18 , wherein the loosely woven material is formed of a polymeric material. 
     
     
       20. The window shade of  claim 19 , wherein the shroud is unsecured to the shading material at all locations between adjacent cord guides. 
     
     
       21. A window shade, comprising:
 a shading material having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a face between the first and second ends; 
 means for mounting the first end of the shading material relative to a window; and 
 means secured at spaced points to the face for gathering the shading material into folds between a stowed position and a deployed position including
 a shroud extending along the face of the shading material and secured at spaced locations to the shading material, the shroud defining an internal passage wherein the shroud extends longitudinally as the shading material is moved toward the deployed position and the shroud collapses longitudinally as the shading material is moved toward the stowed position, 
 means extending through the shroud for transmitting forces to the shading material, the transmitting means having a first end secured to the shading material and a second end opposite the first end extending outside of the shroud, and 
 means coupled to the second end of the transmitting means for placing the transmitting means in tension in response to a biasing force applied to the placing means and actuable in response to pulling down the shading material to transition between a locked condition in which the placing means is locked against movement and an unlocked condition in which the placing means is movable and thereby allow positioning of the shading material at or between the stowed and deployed positions. 
 
 
     
     
       22. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the transmitting means comprises a cord. 
     
     
       23. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the transmitting means comprises a cord secured directly to and wound about the placing means. 
     
     
       24. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the shroud comprises a loosely woven material formed of a polymeric material. 
     
     
       25. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the shroud is secured at spaced points to the shading material by cord guides and is unsecured to the shading material at all locations between adjacent cord guides. 
     
     
       26. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the placing means comprises a spring loaded spool. 
     
     
       27. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the transmitting means comprises a first cord, the shroud comprises a first shroud, and the first shroud is secured to the shading material by a first set of cord guides comprising first, second, and third spaced cord guides, and further including a second cord spaced from the first cord, a second shroud having an internal passage through which the second cord extends, and fourth, fifth, and sixth cord guides secured to the face, spaced from the first, second, and third cord guides, and securing the second shroud to the shading material wherein the first and second sets of cord guides surround the first and second cords, respectively, and at least portions of the first and second shrouds, respectively. 
     
     
       28. The window shade of  claim 27 , wherein the cord guides are adapted to create and be disposed at folds in the shading material when the shading material is in the stowed position. 
     
     
       29. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the placing means comprises a shaft that is journaled for rotation. 
     
     
       30. The window shade of  claim 29 , wherein the shaft is coupled to a combined spring/clutch mechanism. 
     
     
       31. The window shade of  claim 21 , wherein the placing means comprises a roller. 
     
     
       32. The window shade of  claim 31 , further including a spool carried by the roller and about which the transmitting means is wound. 
     
     
       33. The window shade of  claim 32 , wherein the roller is disposed on a side of the shading material opposite the face and the transmitting means passes through an opening in the shading material at a location adjacent the spool. 
     
     
       34. The window shade of  claim 31 , wherein the roller is disposed on a side of the shading material opposite the face and the first and second cords pass through first and second grommets, respectively, disposed at locations adjacent the roller. 
     
     
       35. The window shade of  claim 31 , further including first and second spools carried at spaced locations by the roller and wherein the transmitting means comprise first and second cords secured to the first and second spools, respectively. 
     
     
       36. The window shade of  claim 35 , wherein the roller is spring-loaded. 
     
     
       37. The window shade of  claim 31 , further including springs that rotationally bias the roller. 
     
     
       38. The window shade of  claim 37 , wherein the roller includes a reduced diameter portion to which the transmitting means is secured. 
     
     
       39. A Roman window shade adapted for mounting adjacent a window, comprising:
 a support structure; 
 a spring loaded roller mounted for rotation about an axis extending between one side edge of the window shade to a second side edge of the window shade opposite the first side; 
 a shading material having a first end secured to the support structure and a second, free end opposite the first end; 
 a take up cord secured to the roller and substantially narrower than the shading material, wherein rotation of the roller causes the take up cord to be wound about or unwound from the roller; and 
 a cord guiding structure continuously extending between and secured proximate to a top and proximate to a bottom of the shading material, wherein the cord guiding structure substantially surrounds the take up cord, and wherein the take up cord is secured to the shading material proximate the second, free end thereof and wherein the cord guiding structure is moved in response to movement of the take up cord; 
 wherein when the take up cord is wound about the roller the shading material is moved towards a stowed position in which the shading material is collected in folds adjacent the support structure, and when the take up cord is unwound from the roller the shading material is moved towards a deployed position in which at least a portion of the shading material extends away from the support structure, 
 wherein the spring loaded roller includes a mechanism that locks the roller against rotation and prevents the take up cord from being wound or unwound from the roller to maintain the shading material in a stationary position, and wherein the mechanism is released to unlock the roller by exerting a downward force on the take up cord. 
 
     
     
       40. The Roman window shade of  claim 39 , wherein the roller is mounted for rotation by brackets. 
     
     
       41. The Roman window shade of  claim 39 , wherein the window shade includes a plurality of cord guiding structures secured at spaced locations to the shading material. 
     
     
       42. The Roman window shade of  claim 41 , wherein each cord guiding structure comprises a cord guide. 
     
     
       43. The Roman window shade of  claim 42 , wherein each cord guide is made of a metal. 
     
     
       44. The Roman window shade of  claim 43 , wherein the window shade includes a plurality of take up cords each substantially narrower than the shading material and each secured at a first end thereof to the roller and secured at a second end thereof to the shading material and extending through aligned cord guides.